


and you should see me in a crown

by yesterdaychild



Series: Happy Eruri Week! [6]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Origins, Politics, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 22:04:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1112032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yesterdaychild/pseuds/yesterdaychild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Squad Leader Erwin Smith of the Garrison interrogates the head of the Black Wing Gang, and they see each other for the ambitious men they are. AU-ish; I had the idea for the premise before A Choice with No Regrets was released. Set before the fall of Wall Maria.</p><p>Written for Day Six of Eruri Week. Prompt: Origins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and you should see me in a crown

**Author's Note:**

> Title ruthlessly stolen from Sherlock, of course. This is a little hastily written and someday I hope I get to expand this; think of this as a treatment.
> 
> Originally posted on tumblr: http://erwindanchou.tumblr.com/post/71165407538/eruri-week-day-six-and-you-should-see-me-in-a-crown

Erwin Smith, squad leader of the Garrison, strode down the hallways of the prison. Earlier that day, his men had told him that the infamous leader of the Black Wing Gang had finally been captured. He couldn’t wait to interrogate the man himself.

The Black Wings had been giving him a lot of problems recently, mostly because they kept stealing the military’s horses. The administration and management of all things within the Walls - save for the King’s safety, of course - fell under the purview of the Garrison, and Erwin had been tasked with this nagging problem. The Black Wings seemed to be involved in the black market, which explained their interest in the best horses across the Walls. Worse, they didn’t seem to stop no matter who or how many gang members the Garrison captured. After months of reconnaissance and spying, Erwin had devised a trap to capture their boss.

A tad tedious, he supposed, but at least it helped keep the Garrison forces busy. It wasn’t like they had very much to do, since the Walls hadn’t been breached in nearly a hundred years.

A good catch like this - surely it meant promotion, and the ability to request a transfer to the Survey Corps. He hastened his steps toward the cell.

The two guards outside of the cells saluted smartly at Erwin’s approach. “At ease,” he said, then looked inside the cell at the profile of the man sitting on the edge of the bed.

Surprised, Erwin asked the guards, “This is the leader of the Black Wings?”

The guards nodded and said, “Yes, sir.”

"He’s a lot smaller than I thought he would be," Erwin remarked.

"Tch," the man said. "I’m right here."

"He’s a handful," one of the guards warned. "He took out a couple of guards on the way down."

Erwin smirked. “I’ll be careful to stay on this side then. Leave us, please.”

The guards exchanged glances, then saluted and left.

"So," Erwin said. "What’s your name?"

The man laughed hollowly. “Who wants to know?”

"Squad Leader Erwin Smith of the Garrison," Erwin replied. "I was the one who ordered your capture."

He could see the man twist his lips even from this angle. “So it’s you I have to thank for losing most of my best men over the past few months.”

Erwin shrugged. “You could say that. And who am I speaking to?”

The man got up from the bed, manacles clanking from his wrists and ankles, and walked to the bars where he could look Erwin in the eye. “They call me Levi.”

This close, Erwin could see the edges of the tattooed black wings that gave the gang their name across Levi’s collarbones. He was a gang member, for sure, but was he the right one?

"Well, Levi," Erwin said, "You and I are going to have a long chat about your activities."

Levi snorted. “If only interrogation were so easy,” he remarked sardonically. “Well, Squad Leader Erwin Smith, what are you going to give me in return?”

Erwin raised an eyebrow. “You’re a prisoner, Levi. What makes you think you are going to get what you want? But I’ll humour you. Hypothetically speaking, what is it that you want?”

"Negotiating with a common street thug," Levi tsked. "I’m surprised you’re even in the Garrison at all, Squad Leader Erwin Smith. You’re far too interesting and talented to waste your time here." Levi brought his hands up to the bars, letting the chains clang noisily against the door. “I’ll tell you a secret, Squad Leader Erwin Smith. I gotta thank you for capturing me. I’ve been dying to join the Survey Corps for ages. And if you let me train and join, I’ll tell you everything I know. On one condition.”

"What is that?"

"That you become Commander of the Survey Corps before I get there," Levi said simply.

Erwin snorted to mask his surprise. “But I'm in the Garrison. No one ever transfers between vocations,” he said, lying through his teeth.

Levi laughed, a mocking sound. “Don’t lie to me, Squad Leader Erwin Smith. Did you think the military was the only one with spies across the Walls? I know your ambitions. I know what you want. Humanity is dying, killing itself out, and the Survey Corps is the only organisation strong enough to fix it. And I agree with you. Do you think gangs exist only for their own good? We have honour. We have pride. And above all, we take care of our own. Including our families back home. And when the King’s men are so obviously taking everything for themselves, then everybody loses.”

Levi let go of the bars and stepped away.

"Well, it’s up to you," he said. "But I can promise you one thing, Squad Leader Erwin Smith. Join the Survey Corps, and I promise I’ll make you the finest Commander humanity has ever seen. Where I go, my members do. You can count on that."

"Otherwise?" Erwin taunted.

Levi shrugged. “It’s a gamble either way. You can either make your own way up, or use my help. Do you want to put an end to this grand old farce, or die having only ever been a Squad Leader? Either way, you must believe you won’t regret the choice you make.”

Erwin laughed. “You’re a man after my own heart. I like the way you talk.”

"You Garrison types aren’t too shabby after all," Levi replied with a smirk. "Think about it, _Commander_ Erwin Smith."


End file.
